


where the love light gleams

by teeandrainbows



Series: Chopped: The 100 Fanfic Edition [6]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Chopped: The 100 Fanfic Challenge, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Party, F/M, Family Feels, First Kiss, Marriage Proposal, Meet-Cute, Minor Bellamy Blake/Echo, Minor Monty Green/Harper McIntyre, Pregnancy, spacekru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21942826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teeandrainbows/pseuds/teeandrainbows
Summary: Raven hadn't been home for Christmas in four years, but the one year she did, she met Murphy, new in town since she had last been there, and learns a very important lesson about the holidays.
Relationships: John Murphy/Raven Reyes, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Raven Reyes & Jacapo Sinclair
Series: Chopped: The 100 Fanfic Edition [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547764
Comments: 3
Kudos: 34
Collections: Chopped: Holiday Trope Exchange 1.0





	where the love light gleams

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kuklash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuklash/gifts).



> This is for the Chopped Holiday Trope Exchange hosted by Chopped: The 100 Fanfic Challenge on tumblr! I was tasked with writing a holiday-themed fic that included the following tropes: 1) meet cute, 2) first kiss, 3) surprise proposal, 4) pregnancy AU. It was a double-blind exchange, so I don't know who this is for, but I hope you really enjoy it! It was my first time writing Murven, and I had fun writing it! It's very Hallmark-y, haha.
> 
> Merry Christmas everyone!
> 
> Title comes from "I'll Be Home for Christmas"!

It would be a cold day in hell before Raven Reyes would let some asshole chauvinistic, misogynistic pig of a male mechanic get the one-up on her. She had been working day and night on a client’s vehicle, trying to get it fixed and ready, and her co-worker had been nagging at her day and night, trying to convince her that it was beyond her and she couldn’t do it.

Now, that was just insulting. She was one of the best mechanics at the shop, and she had proven herself time and time again on a number of high-profile projects and clients, and there was no way she wasn’t good enough to handle a simple clutch repair.

“And he even told me to go home and make supper!” she ranted, throwing her hands up in the air and flopping down on the sofa. Echo, her roommate, grimaced.

“He sounds like a total sleaze,” she said, setting down the package of coffee grounds she had opened and instead going to the fridge and pulling out two beers.

“And the worst part is, he’s only been here for six months! I’ve been working there for over two years! I actually have seniority over him, and he can’t even give me the respect I deserve!” She took the beer as Echo handed it to her. “Thank you,” she added, a bit more harshly than she intended. She knew Echo wasn’t insulted, though. The other woman knew how frustrated she was. Echo had to deal with similar issues at her own job at the Azgeda Credit Union, although she seemed to handle it with a bit more grace – at least, that was Raven’s perspective on it.

The two beer cans hissed in unison as the girls opened their drinks. “You going home for Christmas?” Echo asked, plopping down on the sofa next to her. Raven groaned, tilting her head back as she took a long sip. She had almost forgotten it was only two weeks until Christmas. Her job and school had kept her far too busy.

“Sinclair wanted me to, but I really need to finish this job,” she said, sliding down the back of the sofa a bit. Even into adulthood, she still stayed in contact with her old foster father. He had taken her in when no other foster families had been able to handle her “hard-headedness” and “bluntness” and had given her a much-needed home. He had also respected her interest in mechanics and engineering and had looked into programs for her. She owed everything to the man.

“Look. Is Wick even going to be able to finish the job?” Echo asked, breaking into her thoughts. Raven shook her head glumly.

“No, he’s an idiot. He doesn’t even know how to drive stick, let alone repair a clutch,” she said, drawing her legs up to her chest.

“Then why stick around? Tell him he can give it a go while you’re on vacation. He won’t be finished when you get back, and then you can work your magic. Voila, you’re the hero and he looks worse than he ever did.” Her roommate punctuated her idea with a sharp nod of her head and a smirk on her face.

Raven was about to dismiss the idea entirely, but something made her stop and consider it. Realisation slowly dawned on her, and a grin crept onto her face.

“You know, you’re scary smart,” she said, sitting up. Echo arched an eyebrow, and Raven burst into laughter. The other girl laughed with her.

Once they settled, Raven reached for the remote. “First, we need to watch a sappy Hallmark movie and laugh at how that kind of thing would never happen in real life,” she said, earning another burst of laughter from her friend.

“Who knows, maybe you’ll find your angsty boy who teaches you the meaning of Christmas,” Echo managed to say through her laughter. Raven shook her head.

“Yeah, right,” she retorted, laughing again before clicking on the tv. “There’s no boy out there good enough for me.”

= = = = =

Four days later, she had passed off all her work to (a very satisfied) Wick and cleared it with her (very understanding) boss that she was going home for Christmas. Somehow, her boss had already booked her off, even though she had never mentioned wanting to go home. Weird. Echo helped her pack a suitcase, and after much agonizing, she had decided not to tell Sinclair. She figured showing up on his doorstep would be a much better Christmas gift than the wrench set in her luggage. The surprised expression on his face alone would be enough to have her giddy.

The pair parted at the airport, as Echo was getting a bus to her hometown while Raven had to catch a flight. She watched the lights of Polis grow softer and more distant as the plane took off, and three hours later, she was touching down on the runway in Arcadia. One of the downsides of making a surprise trip home was that she couldn’t ask anyone to give her a ride home, though, since everyone she knew would ruin the surprise.

That was why after grabbing her suitcase from the luggage train, Raven made her way to the car rental counter and soon was heading to the garage to pick up a small sedan. Having a car would make life in Arcadia a bit easier and meant that she wouldn’t have to inconvenience Sinclair when she needed to go back to the airport. Win-win. That was what Raven liked. Quick and simple.

As soon as she found the car and put her suitcase in the trunk, she gave the car a full once-over, double-checking everything. It seemed alright, so she climbed in behind the wheel and backed out, starting the short drive down to Sinclair’s house.

While she drove, she couldn’t help but glance around. All of the small businesses had Christmas lights and decorations up. It was almost… pretty. She hadn’t actually been home for Christmas in about four years, since she had first moved to Polis. She had almost forgotten what Arcadia looked like with the twinkling lights and wreaths and holly everywhere.

She almost stopped in at the Dropship, her teenage hangout, but the fear of someone seeing her and spoiling the surprise kept her driving past. Raven glanced in longingly through the coffee shop window while stopped at a red light, wondering what the old barista was up to these days. He had left Arcadia not long after she had – at least, that was what Harper had told her. Bellamy had always had wise words of wisdom for his friends. She hoped he was doing well.

The light changed and she continued driving. That was when her car started sputtering and she quickly pulled over to the side of the road, her eyes widening as smoke started billowing from the hood.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she asked, hitting the wheel. She didn’t even have any of her tools. Raven groaned loudly, getting out of the car and lifting the hood. A cloud of smoke hit her face and she coughed. “Fuck!” she snarled, waving her hands to clear out some of the smoke and starting to examine the engine. “This is just fucking perfect,” she continued to rant to herself, closing the hood and pulling her phone out of her pocket. Maybe Monty and Harper would be able to give her a lift. She could trust them, right?

As she pulled up her messages on her phone and stepped back around the car, a car horn blared in her ears and Raven’s eyes darted up just in time to hear a car screech to a stop inches from her. While she was still in shock, frozen in place, the driver leaned out the window.

“Hey, watch it!” he called, pressing the car horn again. Raven was jolted out of her shock and shook her head.

“You watch it!” she called in return, flipping him off for good measure before taking her sweet time getting back into her car. The other driver pulled forward and leaned over, rolling down the passenger window.

“I can call a tow truck for you if you need it. They’d be able to tell you what happened to your poor little car,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

Raven scoffed. “I’ll be just fine, thanks,” she replied, flipping him off one more time before rolling up her window. He seemed to get the hint and drove off, joining the traffic up ahead.

= = = = =

After a phone call to Monty and Harper, Raven was able to get the rental car (a complete joke) towed and a drive to Sinclair’s. He was, of course, ecstatic to see her and welcomed her home with open arms. In his next breath, though, he was telling her to go to the Dropship with her friends.

“We’ll have time,” he had said, “you go catch up with them.”

So, Raven had climbed back into Monty’s jeep. Five minutes later, they were walking into the Dropship, Harper’s arm linked with Raven’s.

Through the door they walked, Raven not exactly sure who she was expecting to be behind the counter, especially since she knew Bellamy was off in Eden doing… whatever it was he was doing over there. The one person she didn’t expect, however, was…

“You!” she exclaimed, pulling away from Harper and stepping forward, pointing a finger at the driver from earlier. To his credit, he held up his hands, a dishrag in one of them.

“Oh, hey there,” he said, a grin on his face. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Harper tilted her head. “You two know each other?” she asked. Raven scoffed.

“He’s the asshole who nearly killed me on Main Street,” she huffed, taking a step forward.

“To be fair, you weren’t exactly looking where you were going,” the barista retorted, crossing his arms in front of him.

“Yeah, well… you should have been watching too,” Raven said, feeling her argument slipping away from her. From the shit-eating grin on his face, he seemed to notice it too. She groaned, throwing her hands in the air. “Whatever. I’m still alive. Does this place still have good coffee or are you trying to ruin that, too?”

“Actually, Murphy makes pretty great coffee.” It was Monty who spoke up this time. Harper nodded.

“Handpicked by Bellamy, himself, actually,” she chimed in.

“Well, then,” said Raven, shrugging, “I guess I’ll have an americano. No room needed.” She arched an eyebrow as if in challenge.

The barista (Murphy, apparently) nodded and got to work, and Raven waited patiently to decide for herself whether his coffee lived up to her high standards. When he handed it to her, she made a show of taking a careful sip, trying her best to not betray her thoughts with her facial expression.

Damn. It was delicious.

That afternoon, while she went on a drive around town meeting up with some other friends with Monty and Harper, she learned a bit about Murphy. His first name was John, although he preferred to be called Murphy, he was their age, but had moved to Arcadia soon after she had left for Polis, and he apparently knew Emori, one of her friends from Polis, although no one knew exactly what that history was. He was a bit difficult at first (she had to bite her lip at that, given her interactions with him so far), but apparently, he had grown on Monty and Harper. One thing was for sure, though. He had to be decent, considering Bellamy had left his coffee shop in his hands. He certainly seemed interesting.

= = = = =

She was curled up on the sofa in Sinclair’s living room, picking at a bowl of popcorn. He was on the chair opposite her.

“So… Polis treating you alright?” Sinclair asked, taking a sip of soda.

Raven shrugged. “It’s alright. That one co-worker is still treating me like shit, but I’m surviving. I really do love it there,” she said, although her voice betrayed her.

“You know, the auto shop is always going to be here,” Sinclair replied, giving her a knowing look. “You will always have a place here.”

“I know,” Raven answered, drawing her good leg to her chest. “It just feels like I’m admitting defeat.”

Sinclair shook his head. “It wouldn’t be defeat. It’s a new chapter.”

“But what about my roommate? I can’t just leave her high and dry!”

Sinclair let out a long sigh. “Just… think about it, will you? You don’t have to come back right away. I just miss seeing you. It’s so nice to actually have you home.”

With a huff, Raven got up from the sofa, stumbling a bit on her bad leg, and grabbed the bowl of popcorn. “I have to look something up online,” she said abruptly, walking out of the room and leaving no time for Sinclair to respond.

Once she got to her room, which she noted with a lump in her throat had not been changed since the last time she had been there, she flopped onto her bed and lay there on her side, staring at the wall. If only it were that simple to come home for good.

= = = = =

December 23 arrived, and Raven was dragged out to an old Dropship tradition of celebrating the night before Christmas Eve after closing with board games and coffee. She wasn’t really speaking to Sinclair, so it was a welcomed change of scenery. Even better, she had finally finished fixing the rental car with the tools at Sinclair’s auto shop.

When she arrived at the café, it suddenly struck her that she was going to have to see Murphy again. Raven still wasn’t quite over their initial meeting, and despite having run into him at a shop the day before, she wasn’t sure how he would react to seeing her there. She drew in a deep breath, pushing the door open, and was met with a resounding cheer from the group seated at one of the larger tables.

“Raven, hey!” Harper exclaimed, waving her over. She grinned, hanging up her coat and limping over to the table. Arcadia was colder than Polis, and her bad leg didn’t take so well to cold weather. She could feel eyes on her as she walked, and looked up, meeting Murphy’s gaze.

“Sorry I’m late,” she managed to say, pretending she hadn’t noticed the barista staring at her. “Traffic was a bitch. Thankfully I didn’t get hit by anyone,” she said pointedly. From the corner of her eye, she saw Murphy flinch ever-so-slightly. Perfect.

“No worries!” This time it was Jasper who spoke up, patting a chair next to him while Monroe waved from the other side of the empty spot. “We were just about to play Monopoly.” It was a tradition she remembered from her teenage years, and Raven grinned.

“I want the wheelbarrow,” she said. There was a rustling around the table.

“Actually… I already called it,” said Murphy, who seemed to have recovered quickly.

Raven scoffed. “I always play as the wheelbarrow,” she retorted.

“Well, so do I,” he replied, meeting her gaze. After a moment, he grinned. “But I suppose you can use it this time.”

Raven tilted her head, arching an eyebrow. “Wise move,” she said, smirking as she took the piece from Monty.

The game lasted for nearly three hours before Monty finally convinced everyone to call it quits. Raven was the loudest to protest, as she had garnered most of the properties on the board, while Harper, who had gone bankrupt an hour ago, seemed relieved. Murphy was as annoyed as Raven was, though, and it took Harper physically folding up the game board for everyone to accept the game was over.

“Besides, it’s late. And we still have the community feast tomorrow at the hall,” Harper said, batting her eyelashes at Raven. “You _are_ coming, right?”

Raven let out a sigh. “Of course I am. I wouldn’t miss it,” she said, much to her friend’s delight as she found herself engulfed in a hug. She laughed with Harper, then peeled herself away to say goodbye to Jasper and Monroe, who were heading out.

Monty and Harper left next, and Raven found herself alone in the café with Murphy staring at her. She shifted uncomfortably.

“I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now, but… think you could give me a lift home?” Murphy asked. Raven arched an eyebrow at him and he quickly added, “my car didn’t start this evening. I’m assuming you got yours running?”

Raven had to laugh at the irony. “Probably karma,” she retorted, grabbing her coat, “but you’re in luck. I’m feeling generous.”

Murphy stepped up beside her. “Thanks,” he said simply, buttoning up his own coat and following her out to the rental. “Who’d you get to fix it? Sinclair?”

“No, actually,” she replied, getting into the car and starting it. “I’m a mechanic.”

“A mechanic who let a rental car break down?” There was a pause. “That was a low blow, I know.”

Raven scoffed as she started to drive. “Yeah. I should have checked it better, but whatever. Which way?”

They fell silent for a while, except for Murphy giving her occasional directions. Strangely, he was leading her to an older part of Arcadia, where it was mostly dirt-cheap rental units. Eventually, he had her park outside a run-down apartment building. She bit her lip, suddenly uncomfortable with the implications, especially since she remembered Harper telling her that Murphy hadn’t had the best life until coming to Arcadia.

“Home, sweet home,” Murphy said drily, reaching for the door handle. Raven frowned.

“Hey. You going to the thing tomorrow?” she asked. A nod was her only response. “Want me to check out your car? Around 11?” Another nod. “Alright. I’ll, uh… see you tomorrow.”

The door slammed shut and Raven sat still, watching him walk up to the door and disappear inside.

= = = = =

“Thank you for doing this,” he said, standing back while Raven leaned in, checking everything she could under the hood of Murphy’s car. True to her word, she had driven back to Murphy’s apartment in the morning and found him standing outside the building next to his car.

“It’s really no big deal. Could you pass me that big… er…” she lifted her head up. “That thing,” she said, pointing to her tools laid out on a bench. Murphy chuckled and handed her what she needed.

“So, is this what you do in Polis?” he asked.

“Yeah, I work at a huge shop. It’s pretty great. High profile clients and all,” she mused while she worked on his car.

“What, you don’t enjoy it?”

She lifted her head too fast, nearly banging it on the hood. “What makes you say that?” Raven asked, carefully.

Murphy shrugged. “I’m pretty good at reading people. I don’t get why you stayed for four years, though, if you don’t like it.”

Feeling defensive, Raven crossed her arms in front of her. “Two years. I’ve worked there for two years. Before that, I was taking a college program.”

“Fancy,” came the response, and Raven wanted to throttle him. “Question still stands.”

“I don’t know. The money’s great, I guess. My coworkers suck, though. They think a girl couldn’t possibly be as good a mechanic as them.” Why was she telling him this? She had no idea.

“Joke’s on them. Some people can be idiots,” he replied, shrugging. Raven watched him for a moment, searching for the joke, but couldn’t find it. Instead, she went back to work.

A few minutes later, she grinned. “Got it! It should be fine now,” she said, double-checking everything before lowering the hood. “Go ahead, give it a try.”

Murphy arched an eyebrow at her before slipping into the driver’s side and turning the key. To Raven’s delight, the car started. She cheered, and he grinned as he got out of the car.

“You’re incredible. Those guys in Polis are total idiots for thinking you’re not,” Murphy said. Raven glanced down at the ground, grinning, and an awkward silence fell over them.

“I’d better, ah… get going. I’m making layered chip dip for the feast tonight, and I need some sour cream from the store before it closes,” she said, taking a step back.

“I’ve got some I bought yesterday, if you want,” Murphy said quickly. She glanced over at him and he swallowed. “I mean, as a thank you. For fixing my car. The store’s gonna be packed, and the last-minute shoppers are gonna be crazy.”

Raven smiled appreciatively. “That would actually be great,” she said, starting to walk towards the door. “Though I’m sure Arcadia shoppers don’t hold a candle to Polis shoppers. You want crazy? They’re freaking insane.”

Murphy laughed. “Wait here, and I’ll get it for you,” he said. Just like that, before Raven had a chance to say anything, he had darted inside the building, leaving her to stand awkwardly as light snow started to fall around her. A few minutes later, he reappeared, holding a tub. “This work?”

She examined it. “Yeah, that’s what I need. Thanks a bunch.”

“No, thank you. I guess I’ll see you this evening, then?” Was it just her, or did she detect a bit of hopefulness in his voice? She couldn’t tell.

She gave a polite wave, then got back into her rental. As she drove back to Sinclair’s she had to pass the grocery store. Murphy had been right. The parking lot was packed. She glanced at the tub of sour cream on the seat next to her and smiled. Lifesaver.

= = = = =

Raven avoided Sinclair at the community feast, instead finding Monty and Harper. Her chip dip was a hit, earning her many compliments, but the best part of the evening was getting to see some people she hadn’t seen for four years. Abby was a welcomed sight, and she was happy to update her with news about her daughter, who was studying medicine in Polis. Miller and Jackson gave her the rundown on things she had missed that Monty and Harper had been too polite to tell her about, and she even had a chance to see Kane before he was ushered off to do whatever it was mayors had to do.

One person she didn’t see, however, was Murphy. A whispered conversation with Harper informed her that the man had shown up, only to take off rather quickly. She was confused but managed to shake it off in time to help hand out Christmas gifts to the children. Then, she distracted herself by helping out wherever she could. It surprised her, how upset she was about not seeing the barista.

When midnight arrived and most of the guests had left, Raven finally pulled herself away from the kitchen where she had been helping to wash dishes and slipped her coat on, ready to head back home. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out, seeing a text from Echo.

~Merry Christmas! Check out this hottie I met at a party here in town!~

Raven nearly choked at the picture that followed.

“You okay?”

She whipped around. Murphy was standing by one of the pillars outside the community hall, a sheepish look on his face.

“What are you… where were you all night? I was looking for you!” she blurted out, instantly bashful. “I mean… you said you were coming.”

“I had a, uh, family emergency. Had to go take care of it. You really missed me that much?” Murphy replied with an arched eyebrow.

Raven swallowed. “I just thought you’d be there,” she said, trying (and failing) to match his snarky tone.

“Sorry. I just couldn’t ignore the call.” She waited for more details, but none followed. Instead, he tilted his head. “So again I ask – you okay? You seemed a bit flustered there.”

Raven shook her head, remembering the text. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. I just… well, you know Bellamy, right? Apparently, he just met my roommate in Polis tonight. I had no idea he was even there!” She showed him the selfie of Bellamy and Echo underneath some mistletoe.

Murphy laughed. “Well, then. Looks like he finally found himself a girl.” Raven joined him in laughing.

“It’s crazy. They’d be good together, though,” she mused.

Murphy nodded, then kicked at the ground. “Look, I don’t know how long you’re staying, but I was going to open the Dropship for a thing on the 30th if you’re interested. Kind of like last night, but maybe with a bit more alcohol and less board games.”

Raven shrugged. “I’m down.” She paused. “Everything okay with you? Emergency solved?”

“Yeah,” he said, a little too quickly. “Everything’s good. Er. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” Raven replied, her eyes searching his. After a moment of hesitation, she stepped forward and gave him a quick hug and the slightest peck on the cheek. When she pulled away, he was staring at her with an unreadable expression.

“See you in a couple of days,” he finally said, turning around and walking off.

Raven watched him leave, frozen in one spot for a moment until she was able to shake it off and head off in the other direction, towards her car.

= = = = =

Morning arrived, and Sinclair’s Christmas present to her was an offering to be the owner of his auto shop, effective immediately.

Raven couldn’t believe it, and after too much shouting and tears, she was leaving the house and getting into her rental to go somewhere. Anywhere. Just not home. Sinclair just didn’t get it. She had a life in Polis. She had a well-paying job. She wasn’t a small-town girl anymore. She couldn’t just drop everything to go back home and run a small auto shop with one garage that desperately needed renovations. She couldn’t just tell her insanely rich clients that she couldn’t fix their cars anymore. And she couldn’t let Wick have the satisfaction of picking up all of her clients.

She drove around Arcadia, trying to catch her breath. Eventually, she found herself in Murphy’s part of town, although she barely registered that was where she was going. As she drove past a small, rundown park, she spied a strangely familiar figure and slammed the breaks, stopping on the side of the road. Murphy was standing next to a weird looking monument. She couldn’t make out what it was from her car, so she made her decision, getting out of the car and waving.

“Hey!” she called, closing the car door and walking around to the sidewalk. He turned and saw her, raising a mittened hand in response.

“What are you doing all the way out here?” Murphy asked when she was closer, although he took a few steps as well, meeting her in the middle, away from the monument.

“I had a fight with Sinclair,” she admitted.

He had the grace to look sympathetic. “That sucks. What about?”

Raven drew a deep breath. “He wants me to come here and run his shop. I guess he wants to retire or something. But I have an amazing job in Polis that I can’t just leave,” she explained, wrapping her arms around herself.

Murphy nodded slowly. “But part of you wants to take him up on the offer?” At her incredulous stare, he shrugged. “I can read people, remember?”

“I don’t know. Polis is insane, but it’s become my home. Coming back here, I… I feel like it’s so small. Sinclair’s shop is nothing like the one in Polis, and I have so many clients…” she trailed off, feeling like she was sounding a bit snobbish. One look at Murphy’s face told her as much.

“You’re not happy there, though. What’s really keeping you there?” he asked.

“The money, I guess, like I said. And there’s Echo. I can’t just move out and leave her with the rent herself.”

“So the money really just ends up back in your rent?” came the terse reply. Raven swallowed.

“It’s not just that. Everything’s, you know… better there.”

“I find that hard to believe. I spent some time in Polis, you know? It wasn’t exactly my favourite place in the world. I’d come back to my shitty apartment and coffee shop job every time.” Murphy turned away from her, and Raven let out a sigh.

“It’s not the same. I have—”

“I’m not in Arcadia by choice.”

Raven paused. “What?” she asked, feeling stupid.

Murphy sighed, turning back to face her again. “I didn’t have a choice to come here, but I wouldn’t leave it for the world. My mom, she’s… real sick. My father’s not in the picture. So, I came home. But even if my mom got magically better, I wouldn’t leave. This place is where everything I care about is.”

Raven shook her head. “It’s still not the same,” she said, turning around. “It was a mistake to come out here. I’m sorry for disturbing you.” She walked back to her car, going around the front. Tears were pricking at the corners of her eyes and she swiped at them angrily, not checking before stepping out into the oncoming traffic lane. Strong arms grabbed her and pulled her back in time for her to watch a truck drive past her, well above the speed limit in town.

She was in shock for a moment before shaking it off and twisting around to face Murphy.

“You really need to stop doing that,” he said drily. Raven let out a bashful chuckle.

“How do you think I got this?” she asked, gesturing down at the brace around her bad leg. He glanced down, his eyes widening.

“Really?”

“Yeah. In Polis, actually.” She shrugged, becoming aware of his hands still on her shoulders. “I’m still getting used to it.”

“I’m sorry,” he replied, swallowing. Raven bit her lip, not moving away from him.

“I’m sorry about your mother,” she whispered, meeting his gaze. “My parents died when I was little. I went into the system, and Sinclair’s the only family I’ve ever known.”

“He’s pretty great,” Murphy said, and Raven nodded in agreement. “My father left us when I was five, and my mom’s been sick for years. I tried to go to culinary school in Polis, but when she took a turn for the worse, I… I couldn’t just leave her alone. So, I came back.”

Raven swallowed, putting her hands on his arms. “That’s really great of you. She’s lucky to have a son like you.”

Murphy gave the most genuine smile she had seen out of him since they had met, and Raven felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. He moved his head closer, and she met him halfway, and suddenly his lips were on hers. It was gentle and soft and oh-so-perfect, the first kiss Raven had shared with a boy since Finn in high school. But Murphy was nothing like Finn. It felt right. It felt like fireworks were going off and she didn’t want it to stop.

She didn’t realize her arms had ended up around his neck until he pulled away. She glanced up at him through her top lashes, and he rubbed circles on her shoulders.

“We just…” she breathed. He nodded, although there was something she couldn’t read in his eyes.

“We did,” he said, not making any effort to step away.

“Wanna go… see if there’s any brunch places open?” she asked, almost shyly. Murphy nodded but kept a hand on her shoulder as she pulled away to go to the driver’s side.

“Please look before you step out into traffic,” he said, his usual sass back. Raven laughed.

“I promise, I will,” she replied, reluctantly pulling away from him and carefully checking before getting into her car. He got in on the passenger side, and she let her right hand rest casually on the parking brake in the middle of the two seats. He put his hand on top of hers and she smiled despite herself.

“What were you doing out here, anyway?” she asked, suddenly.

Murphy seemed to grow shy. “My mom planted that garden years ago,” he said, staring down at his lap. Raven squeezed his hand before pulling it away to start the car.

“That’s really sweet,” she said, driving off.

“I kind of want to try and get it fixed up this summer. It’s… not doing so great,” he admitted.

“I’m sure you can find people to help,” Raven commented, glancing sideways at him.

Murphy shook his head. “I kind of… want to do it alone. Her birthday’s in September, and I’d like to have it done for that,” he clarified.

Raven nodded. “I get that. Sinclair’s birthday is in January and I still don’t know what I want to get for him. Nothing seems good enough, but I want it to be perfect for him.”

“You’ll think of something,” Murphy replied, falling silent.

Eventually they determined that Arcadia was such a small town that nothing was open.

“Wait a minute. Don’t you have a key to the Dropship?” Raven asked suddenly, while they were at a stoplight.

Murphy glanced at her and smirked. “I do, in fact.” His face fell. “But… I actually… think I should probably go back to my mom. She was napping. And you should go talk to Sinclair.”

Shit. He had a point. Raven let out a sigh. “Fine,” she said reluctantly, making a u-turn to take him back to his apartment.

Once they were there, she fiddled with the wheel for a moment before glancing at him. Murphy met her gaze and leaned in, pressing his lips to hers once again.

“Merry Christmas,” he said. She echoed him, and when he was safely inside the apartment, she drove back home.

Sinclair was happy to see her, and after a long and difficult conversation, he agreed to table the offer of ownership for the time being. Raven hugged him, and it was time for their favourite meal – microwavable Chinese food from the grocery store.

= = = = =

“I’m so sorry,” she said, sipping a latte. Murphy nodded, his expression unreadable.

“I get it. It sucks, but I get it,” he replied, tossing a tea towel over his shoulder. They were the only two people inside the Dropship. It was the 28th, and that morning, Raven had gotten a text from her boss in Polis. Wick had damaged the client’s vehicle, and the client was threatening to find a different mechanic unless the vehicle was fixed before New Year’s Eve. Her boss was begging her to come back and try to figure out what could be done. Apparently, Wick was even prepared to admit she was the best mechanic in the shop. The only issue was that she would miss Murphy’s party.

“I really wish I could stay,” she said, biting her lip, “but this is a huge chance for me. They’ll all see that I’m actually a valuable member of the team.”

“No, you should go,” Murphy said, leaning on the counter opposite her. “Arcadia will still be here. I know this means a lot to you.”

Raven buried her face in her hands, but a moment later, he was pulling them away. “I’ll still be here,” he said, kissing her lightly.

= = = = =

While she was sitting at the airport, Raven felt her phone vibrate and pulled it out to find a Facebook friend request from Murphy. She smiled, despite herself, and immediately accepted it. Just as quickly, she got a message.

~Make sure you check for oncoming traffic. And don’t let those jerks boss you around.~

She laughed, tapping out a reply.

~Yes, sir. About to board, will talk to you when I land.~

= = = = =

**One year later…**

Raven fidgeted with her bag. Next to her, Echo was also fidgeting. As they stepped through into the arrivals section of the airport, Raven’s eyes were immediately drawn to the two men standing next to the baggage claim. She beamed, running and jumping into Murphy’s arms.

“Welcome home,” he said as she nuzzled against his shoulder. Next to the pair, Echo was greeting Bellamy similarly.

It had been a long year, but Raven felt it had been her best year in Polis yet. After saving the shop’s reputation by fixing the client’s car, Wick had been fired and she had gotten a raise. She had even been able to negotiate time off for regular visits home to see her friends, Sinclair, and Murphy. Their relationship had grown over the year, much to all their friends’ disbelief, and she couldn’t be happier, despite not having said the ‘l’ word yet. Meanwhile, Echo had continued a long-distance relationship with Bellamy, and was finally seeing him for the first time in a year, after he had made the decision to come home for Christmas.

“How’s your mom doing?” Raven asked Murphy. He shrugged.

“Same old, really. She missed the garden. I’ll have to get it fixed up next season.”

Echo turned to them at that moment. “So, this is Murphy. Looks just as good in person,” she said, winking at Raven.

“Nice to meet you too, Echo,” Murphy replied. It seemed like both of them were taking pleasure in the blush spreading across Raven’s cheeks, so she was happy when Bellamy pulled her into a hug.

“It’s great to see you again,” he said, pulling away and grinning at her.

“Right back atcha,” she replied.

The four of them headed outside with the suitcases and made a beeline for Murphy’s car. Once Bellamy and Echo were dropped off at his apartment, Murphy glanced sideways at Raven.

“I still owe you a brunch at the Dropship,” he said with a wink. Raven laughed.

“You do. But first, I need to change out of my airplane outfit and say hi to Sinclair,” she said.

Murphy gave a mock sigh. “I suppose so. Even though you look just fine.”

Despite that, he drove her to Sinclair’s house, where she dashed in, greeted her foster father happily, changed, and dashed back out. Murphy was waiting, drumming a pattern on the wheel.

“Ready?” he asked. Raven nodded, and they drove off.

= = = = =

The 23rd arrived and Raven was eager for Monopoly night. This year would be even better, since Bellamy and Echo were joining them. When she arrived to help Murphy set up, she was confused when she heard two voices coming from the kitchen.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Harper invited me!”

“Remind me to thank her. I can’t believe it’s been three years, Emori. How’ve you been?”

Raven paused just outside the kitchen doors, swallowing a lump in her throat. Emori. She knew there was history there, but she hadn’t expected to come across the girl. Emori was one of Echo’s friends, and somehow also knew Harper (and obviously knew Murphy, too). It was a bit of a web, but Raven hadn’t expected she would ever have to untangle it, and especially not on Christmas.

“Can I just say, you look amazing, John?”

That was it. Raven pushed open the kitchen doors, stepping in. Both Murphy and Emori looked up, and the girl’s eyes lit up.

“Raven! It’s been a while!” she exclaimed. Raven gave a terse nod.

“Yeah, it has,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her.

Murphy seemed to notice her discomfort and stepped over to her, slipping his arm around her shoulders. “Hey,” he murmured, kissing her cheek. “Emori stopped by to help set up, too. Hope you don’t mind.”

“No, of course not,” Raven replied, forcing a smile. “It’s nice to see you, Emori.”

They set up coffee and baked goods for their friends, Raven avoiding Emori, and settled down to wait for everyone to arrive.

= = = = =

“You okay?” Murphy asked, looking up at her from his position lying with his head in her lap on the sofa at Sinclair’s house. They were killing time until the community feast.

Raven shrugged. “Fine. I guess last night was a little weird. I wasn’t expecting to see Emori,” she said, glancing down at him.

Murphy sat up, turning and taking her hands. “Emori and I are a distant past,” he said, kissing her lightly. “There’s nothing there. I promise.”

Raven nodded sullenly. “Right.”

“I promise,” he repeated. “I love you.”

Raven froze, watching him. From their conversations over the year, she knew that was a big step for him. Murphy didn’t like commitment. In fact, he was scared of it. For him to say those three words meant something. It meant she wasn’t so scared to tell him her news.

While she sat there, staring at him with wide eyes, she could see his mind backpedaling. Before he could try to apologize or take it back, she pressed her forehead against his.

“I love you too,” she said, smiling. It was the truth. Over the year, she had grown to know him and couldn’t imagine a scenario where they had never met. “And… I have to tell you something.” She had wanted to wait until midnight but felt now was as good a time as any. “Murphy, I was scared when I heard Emori was back because I love you so much, and…” she hesitated, “I’m pregnant.”

His eyes widened and she instantly wondered if it was too much. Panic rose in her throat and she shook her head. “Don’t feel like you have to—”

“Raven.” She shut up, her breath coming out ragged. “That is… the best news,” Murphy said, a hand going to her belly.

“You’re the first person to know. Echo doesn’t even know, unless she’s guessed,” she said, laughing a bit in her relief. Then she paused, eyeing Murphy carefully since he was looking at her with a weird look in his eyes. “What are you—”

“Marry me.”

Raven was sure she had misheard. She shook her head, staring at him. “Wh-what?” she asked, blinking.

Murphy looked serious. “Marry me. I love you, Raven Reyes. I’ve loved you for a while, now, and now we’re having a baby. I want you to be in my life as long as we live... will you marry me?” He gazed at her intently.

Raven swallowed a lump in her throat. “I…” she started, her heart beating out of her chest. “I… yes. Yes!” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stem off the tears, but when she opened them again and Murphy was still watching her with that fond look she had grown used to over the year, the tears started to fall.

“I don’t exactly… have a ring. Well, I have a ring, just not here. I was…” Murphy started to laugh. “Emori’s here in town to help me figure out how to propose to you. And I just did.”

Raven stared at him in disbelief, then let out a bark of laughter. “Oh my… wow…” she breathed, unable to form any proper coherent thought.

She didn’t think she could be happier.

= = = = =

Christmas Day finally arrived, and Raven couldn’t wait for Sinclair to open his present. She was practically bouncing with excitement when he opened the box and pulled out a single slip of paper, on which she had written a single word.

“Yes…?” Sinclair read, glancing from the paper to Raven and back to the paper. “Does this mean…?”

Raven beamed. “Does your offer from last year still stand?” she asked, leaning forward. Sinclair let out a breath.

“Of course it does, sweetheart,” he said, reaching across and pulling her into a hug. “What made you change your mind?”

“Polis isn’t where I belong. I belong here, with my family and friends,” she said, kissing his cheek. “And with Murphy. We’re… having a baby,” she added, blushing, “and getting married.” Sinclair stared at her in disbelief.

“Raven…” he breathed, blinking furiously.

Raven swallowed a lump in her throat. “Echo has a new roommate lined up already, and I’ve already given my notice at the shop. Merry Christmas, Dad. I’m moving home,” she finished, still beaming.

Sinclair laughed, swiping at his cheek with the back of a hand. “And to think, all I got you this year was a wrench set.”

Raven laughed with him. “It came from you. It’s the best gift.”

Sinclair patted her shoulder. “I am so proud of you.” Raven blushed in response.

“Thank you for giving me a shot all those years ago,” she whispered.

After they opened the presents at their place, Raven gave Sinclair another hug and went outside to climb into the car with Murphy. He kissed her, and she smiled into the kiss.

“Merry Christmas,” he breathed. “Did Sinclair like his present?”

“He did,” Raven replied, squeezing his hand. “Everything’s all set. I’m moving home in January.”

They chatted for the rest of the car ride, stopping outside Murphy’s apartment.

“You know, I still haven’t actually been inside,” Raven commented, glancing up at the building, with its siding falling off.

Murphy’s cheeks went red. “It’s kind of embarrassing. I haven’t let any of my friends in,” he admitted. Raven blinked.

“Until now?” she asked.

Murphy nodded. “Until now. Are you ready to meet my mom?”

Raven nodded and got out of the car.

= = = = =

Raven ran her fingertips over the top of the monument claiming that Tara Murphy had planted the garden. She had been too sick to talk at the apartment, but she had smiled at Raven, which was all she could ask for. The snowflakes fluttered around them as she turned around, only to see Murphy on one knee.

“Raven Reyes, will you marry me?” he asked, holding out a ring box. She nodded, smiling fondly down at him.

“Of course,” she answered, pulling him up and kissing him. Echo had been wrong. Her angsty boy hadn’t taught her the true meaning of Christmas, but he had taught her the meaning of home, and that was all that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I actually like Wick as a character - he was just the best fitting character for my purposes in this fic.
> 
> Thank you once again to dylanobrienisbatman and thelittlefanpire on tumblr for hosting this amazing event! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!


End file.
